DBP VS. SPS.

LICUANAN (2007)

FACTS: Respondent spouses Alejandro and Adelaida Licuanan were granted a piggery loan and subsequent
loans by petitioner DBP, evidenced by a promissory note and secured by a real estate mortgage over a 980-
square meter parcel of land with a two-storey building and several parcels of land. On July 6, 1981, petitioner
sent a letter to respondents informing them that, since the conditions of the mortgage had been breached,
petitioner would have the mortgaged properties sold by the sheriff. The total amount due from the three loans
had by then ballooned to P75,298.32. Petitioner filed an application for extrajudicial foreclosure. The
mortgaged properties were sold in a public auction and Petitioner, as the highest bidder, acquired them for a
total of P16,340. Petitioner consolidated its ownership over the properties. After more than a year or on
October 16, 1984, petitioner wrote respondents by registered mail, informing them that the properties (now
acquired assets of the bank) would be disposed of by public auction. On November 11, 1984, petitioner
published an advertisement stating that on November 14, 1984, the properties would be sold by oral bidding.
On November 16, 1984, petitioner sent respondents a letter informing them that the properties could be
reacquired by negotiated sale for cash or installment. Three days later, however, the properties were sold
through negotiated sale to one Emelita A. Peralta. Respondents were informed of the sale by petitioner through
a letter dated December 6, 1984. On December 11, 1984, respondents offered to repurchase the properties from
petitioner but they had already been sold to Peralta. Hence they filed a complaint for recovery of real properties
and damages in the Regional Trial Court against petitioner and Peralta.

ISSUE 1: Whether a demand for payment of the loans was made before the mortgage was foreclosed

RULING: NO. Whether or not demand was made is a question of fact. Factual findings of the trial court when adopted
by the CA, are binding and conclusive on this court. Both the CA and the RTC found that demand was never made.

ISSUE 2: Whether demand is necessary to make respondents guilty of default despite the fact that the maturity dates had
already been stipulated on the contracts.

RULING: YES. Demand made before the foreclosure is effected is essential. If demand was made and duly received by
the respondents and the latter still did not pay, then they were already in default and foreclosure was proper. However, if
demand was not made, then the loans had not yet become due and demandable. This meant that respondents had not
defaulted in their payments and the foreclosure by petitioner was premature. Foreclosure is valid only when the debtor is
in default in the payment of his obligation.

Unless demand is proven, one cannot be held in default. Petitioners cause of action did not accrue on the maturity dates
stated in the promissory notes. It is only when demand to pay is made and subsequently refused that respondents can be
considered in default and petitioner obtains the right to file an action to collect the debt or foreclose the mortgage.

The acceleration clause of the promissory notes stated that "[i]n case of non-payment of this note or any portion of it on
demand, when due, on account of this note, the entire obligation shall become due and demandable ." Hence, the
maturity dates only indicate when payment can be demanded. It is the refusal to pay after demand that gives the creditor a
cause of action against the debtor. Since demand was never made on the spouses, the foreclosure was premature and
therefore null and void.

Petitioner avers that respondents are estopped from questioning the validity of the foreclosure sale since they offered to
repurchase the foreclosed properties.

SC already ruled that an offer to repurchase should not be construed as a waiver of the right to question the sale. Instead, it
must be taken as an intention to avoid further litigation and thus is in the nature of an offer to compromise. By offering to
redeem the properties, respondents can attain their ultimate objective: to pay off their debt and regain ownership of their
lands.

ISSUE 3: Whether or not respondents are liable for the deficiency claim of petitioner.
RULING: Respondents cannot be held liable for the deficiency claim. While it is true that in extrajudicial foreclosure of
mortgage, the mortgagee has the right to recover the deficiency from the debtor, this presupposes that the foreclosure must
first be valid.